Sunday, March 12, 2017

This is why I keep this blog going

Milo Thornberry passed this week. He was an amazing human being. Sad that I never knew him. Dan Bloom, whom many of you are familiar with, sent me this story.

"Well, to make a long story short. I never told anyone this before except for Milo a few years ago, actually when the book was published.

As I think you know I arranged for the English edition of his memoir to be published with Sunbury Press in Philadelphia. I knew the publisher and I knew he could publish a book like Milo's memoir quickly, so I called Milo on the phone and said "Milo, I can set up your book for publication. Want to do it?" Because Milo at that point had given up trying to get a book published, all he got was rejections from publishers in the USA,

But....I had never heard of Milo before. I didn't know him. I had never heard of him...But one day, while reading your website, I came across a link you hotlinked to "a blog by Milo Thornberry about his work in Taiwan during the Martial law period"...so curious, I clicked on the link and found Milo's blog. In which he lamented that he had written a book length memoir about his life in Taiwan in the 1970s but could not find a publisher. Having a direct line to God, I emailed Milo and asked for his phone number. He gave it to me. I called him. I said Milo, I can get your book published. As a paperback, no fees or payments on your part. Want to try it? He said Yes! and Larry Knorr at Sunbury published the book.....so now you know the rest of story.

Without your link that day when i just happened to have chanced upon his blog link from you... I never would have made his acquaintance

That's why I run this blog..._______________________[Taiwan] Don't miss the comments below! And check out my blog and its sidebars for events, links to previous posts and picture posts, and scores of links to other Taiwan blogs and forums!

4 comments:

Michael, a Taiwanese man who has lived in the USA for a long time, read your post today and told me by email:

"Milo Thornberry is a brave man. He did something that few dared to try. I remember during my graduate school years in the States, 1970s Some fellow Taiwanese students did not dare to touch flyers or letters sent by "World United Taiwan independence organization". They would pick up the flyers with chopsticks and dropped them into the trash can; afraid of touching the flyers.

If I did not come to the States, I would never have known about 228, the white terror, and Peng's escape from Taiwan. In fact, I joined the KMT, persuaded by a KMT officer while I was in the Taiwanese military, just a few years before leaving for U.S. KMT looked benign and good to most young Taiwanese.

One fellow (native) Taiwanese student, a good diligent guy came from the country side, told me that "we all drank KMT's milk growing up". I did not know how to respond to his comments at the time. Later I thought, but KMT was not in the business of raising cows, where did it get the milk from.

For 10 years I was afraid of going back. The first time return, I was a little apprehensive, not certain if I made it up to the black list.

Milo is a brave man who does things quietly, for the sake of others. Thanks for his book, Taiwanese will remember this great American friend who took risk and created a mythical-like event that will forever be a part of Taiwanese history. ''​

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